If you’ve been turned down by big banks due to credit scores or a spotty ChexSystems history, it’s time to stop settling for “no.” You can open a fully-featured, free online bank account right now with no credit check, no minimum opening deposit, and zero monthly fees. Whether you’re dealing with past overdrafts or a low credit score, these modern accounts are designed to give you a fresh start without the gatekeeping of traditional institutions.
Secure Your Financial Future Today
Don’t let a “blacklist” keep you out of the modern economy. Banks and FDIC-insured Financial Technology companies (FinTechs) now offer sleek, mobile-first accounts that provide all the perks—like early direct deposit and robust fraud protection—with none of the exorbitant fees. We profile our top picks for the best no-deposit accounts and open yours in under five minutes. It’s fast, secure, and specifically built for your situation.
The Best Second Chance Banks
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Most people are familiar with Chase, and the Chase Secure Banking account might be a good fit for a second chance bank account.
Chase Secure Banking at a Glance
- NO credit check
- NO ChexSystems
- NO minimum deposit to open
- NO overdraft fees
- FREE Chase OnlineSM Bill Pay
- FREE money orders and cashier’s checks
- Quickly send and receive money with Zelle®
- Paper checks are not offered with the account
Chase makes it easy for you to access your money from anywhere with the Chase Mobile® app, plus thousands of ATMs and branches.
Earning the $175 Bonus
New Chase checking customers enjoy a $175 checking account bonus when you open a Chase Secure BankingSM account with qualifying transactions. Qualifying transactions include debit card purchases, Zelle®, ACH credits, Chase QuickDepositSM or online bill payments. Your bonus will appear in your account within 15 days after completing the qualifying transactions.
What to Know About the Approval Process
Chase Secure Banking is the only account offered by Chase that doesn’t use ChexSystems but does use Early Warning Services (EWS). Additionally, if you’ve had an account closed by Chase in the past, your application will not be approved. Past account closures can include missteps such as non-payment of fees, excessive overdrafts, or suspected fraud.
Fees
Chase doesn’t offer overdraft services with this account as you can only spend the money you have available. You should also know that using non-Chase ATMs can cost from $3.00 to $5.00 per transaction. Surcharges from the ATM owner/network may apply.
Chase Secure Banking carries a $4.95 monthly service fee, but it can be waived when you have electronic deposits made into the account totaling $250 or more during each monthly statement period or if the account owner is between 17 and 24 years old.
Other Account Features
Chase Secure Banking offers several other features we like. This includes:
- Zero Liability Protection. Unauthorized purchases on your debit card? Let Chase know right away. With Zero Liability Protection with Chase Secure BankingSM they’ll reimburse you for charges you didn’t make.
- Budgeting Tools. Manage your spending and get daily spending insights with Snapshot in the Chase Mobile® app.
- Credit and Identity Monitoring. Track your credit score, get a personalized action plan provided by Experian™ to help improve your score and receive identity monitoring for free through Chase Credit Journey®.
- Early Direct Deposit. Get that “just paid” feeling up to two business days sooner with early direct deposit.
If you’ve wanted to bank with Chase and wondered if you’d qualify, we think you’ll be happy with the Chase Secure Banking account.
One of the biggest challenges for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and gig workers is finding the right bank account for their growing business.
The Found Business Banking Account solves that problem by simplifying your financial journey. The sign-up process takes only a few minutes. There’s no credit check or ChexSystems.
Found Business Banking at a Glance
- No opening deposit required
- No minimum balance
- No required monthly fees2
- Free unlimited ACH payments
- Free unlimited invoicing
- Free mobile check deposits
- Free built-in expense management tools
- Accept bank transfers and card payments
- Easily connect to Quickbooks, Stripe, Venmo, PayPal, Etsy, etc.
- Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit1
- Send money to anyone within the U.S. using their phone number or email address
- Deposit cash at over 79,000 locations
- Access your account online or on the free app
- Found’s core features are free. They also offer two paid products: FoundPlus for $35/month or $315/year and Found Pro for $80 /month or $720/year.
Fast Approval Process
Time is money and Found respects both. Sign up for your business account online and the streamlined approval process ensures you’re up and running quickly. No lengthy paperwork needed to get swift access to your financial hub.
Easy Bookkeeping and Tax Management Tools
Managing your business finances shouldn’t be a headache. You get intuitive tools such as automated expense tracking, receipt capture, unlimited custom invoices, and the ability to manage 1099 contractor payments. Plus, you get the ability to auto-save for tax payments and automatically generate tax forms.
No Hidden Fees, No Surprises
Say goodbye to unexpected charges. Found.com believes in transparency. They’ve stripped away any required monthly fees2, leaving you with a straightforward banking experience. No hidden costs2—just clarity and peace of mind.
Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Business banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC.3
Current1 offers an innovative account to consumers who want it all without the costs and hassles.
The Current Build account helps you build credit every time you use the card. Sign-up takes about 2 minutes and Current does not check your credit.
Current at a Glance
- NO opening deposit required
- NO credit check
- NO minimum balance
- NO fees at over 40,000 Allpoint® ATMs in the U.S.
- Get your paycheck up to 2 days early with qualifying direct deposit
- Earn up to a 4.00% bonus on your balance up to $6,000 with direct deposit; earn 0.25% without
- Earn points for unlimited cashback at participating retailers
- Send money instantly without any added fees
- An elegant but simple smartphone app
- 24/7 member support
Swipe The Card and Build Credit
Using your Current Build account to BUILD your credit is simple. Here’s how it works:
- You add money to your account
- Swipe your card to make purchases, pay bills, or get money from an ATM machine
- The funds in your account pay for these transactions
- Current reports your payment to build your credit history
Current Works Hard for You
Current offers a really unique service it calls Gas Hold Removals. What’s a gas hold? Some gas stations may apply a hold from $50 to $100 when you use your card to pump gas. If you only pumped $10 of gas, but the gas station places a $100 hold on your funds, you won’t have access to the $90 difference for up to 3 business days! The Current Build card will immediately remove the hold so you have access to all your funds. We haven’t found that benefit anywhere in the marketplace.
We love the features, we love the smartphone app, and we love Current. That makes us think you’ll love them too.
Fast-growing Chime® is one of our favorite checking accounts. The account has some amazing features and Chime accepts almost all customers who apply… even if you have bad or poor credit or have been blacklisted by ChexSystems or the credit bureaus.
Chime at a Glance
- NO credit check or ChexSystems
- NO initial deposit required
- NO minimum balance required
- NO monthly or annual fees
- NO NSF/overdraft fees1
- NO foreign transaction fees
- NO fees at over 47,000 ATMs2
- NO fees for mobile and online bill pay
- FREE cash deposits at 8,500+ Walgreens3
- Get your paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit4
- Over 1,000,000+ 5-star reviews for the Chime smartphone app
- Instantly transfer funds to friends and family without additional apps5
- FDIC insured account up to $250,000
Savings Made Easy
Chime was one of the first to offer a “round up” option. If you use your Chime card on a purchase of $10.65, Chime gives you the option of automatically rounding up to $11.00 and putting the remaining $.35 in your free Chime savings account. And that adds up over time! Plus, Chime pays 1.25% Annual Percentage Yield (APY)6 in interest on that savings account.
We don’t think there is another company innovating for their customers like Chime.
What is a second chance bank account?
A second chance bank account is an account that does not require a credit check when opening. This means that individuals with a negative ChexSystems report or poor credit can still access banking services through these accounts. In contrast, traditional bank accounts typically use ChexSystems as part of the account opening process.
What do banks check during the application process?
The most widely used tool banks and credit unions use is a company called ChexSystems. This is a little-known consumer reporting agency (CRA) that provides information about any past checking accounts that have been closed and the reason for the closing. If you have negative marks on your ChexSystems report, the bank may choose to deny your new account application.
Our list of second chance bank accounts includes financial institutions that don’t use ChexSystems or credit checks to approve accounts. These aren’t second-rate accounts by any means. They come with all the bells and whistles of accounts offered by big banks and in many cases, with more attractive account features and benefits.
What to look for when choosing a second chance bank account
When selecting a second chance bank account, there are several factors to consider in order to make an informed decision:
- No or Low Fees. If you’ve had financial challenges in the past, you’re no stranger to extra fees. Even though you’re looking for a second chance bank account, you shouldn’t be paying any exorbitant fees for your banking services. The best banks have no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, no ATM fees, and no money transfer fees.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements. Some of our recommendations require a small initial deposit to get started. Most of the banks don’t require it. But when you’re getting back into banking, we don’t think any of your options should include banks or credit unions that require a minimum monthly balance in order to keep the account open. Full stop.
- Depositing Cash. Many online-only banks have partnerships with large retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven, and Walmart where you can deposit cash and have it show up in your account immediately. Some retailers charge fees while others don’t and that largely depends on the deal they have with the individual online bank. Large banks with local branches offer access to their own branch and ATM network. A local bank branch might be the best option if you need to deposit large chunks of cash.
- ATM Access and Fees. One of the challenges online bank accounts can present is the lack of an ATM network. However, all of our recommendations have joined national ATM networks with locations in grocery stores, shopping malls, and retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, and 7-Eleven.
- Mobile and Online Experience. Not all banking apps are created equal. In fact, some are far superior to others. Look for review scores that can provide insight into the quality of the mobile and online banking experience.
- Customer Service. Customer service used to be defined as being able to talk with another human. It has now evolved into live chat, email, robust documentation, and (sometimes) live interaction.
- Interest Rate. One area where new banks have made real progress is paying interest on your balance… no matter what that balance is. And they generally pay an interest amount far above the big banks. On the other hand, most traditional banks do not pay interest on your account balance unless you hold a significant minimum balance.
- Cashback Rewards. It is rare for banks to offer a rewards program tied to a checking account. This is where you either get points or cash back every time you use your debit card. If you plan to use your debit card a lot, look for a bank or institution that offers this kind of program.
By considering these factors, you can make an informed decision while choosing a bank account that suits your needs, even with a bad credit history.
What types of banks offer second chance checking accounts?
While many banks do perform credit checks or review your ChexSystems report, there are some banks that do not require these checks. Most banks use ChexSystems to assess your banking history, which can pose a challenge for individuals with poor credit.
However, there are alternative options available. There are bank accounts offered by certain institutions that are just as good, if not better, than accounts typically granted to individuals with good credit. These accounts are designed to be accessible to a wider range of customers, regardless of their credit history.
Therefore, if you have concerns about your credit and are looking to open a bank account, it is advisable to explore options that do not require credit checks. By doing so, you can find a suitable bank account that meets your needs and provides you with the necessary financial services without the requirement of a credit check.
The types of financial institutions that offer consumers bank accounts with bad credit fall into two main categories:
- Large national banks or credit unions – These banks have several thousand branch locations. These companies may not offer as many account features and may also charge monthly fees, but they have a local presence that many consumers feel is important to their banking experience.
- Online-only and technology-infused banks – These banks have built their customer base with feature-rich online bank accounts for bad credit. They have no fees and offer smartphone and online apps that make banking from anywhere easy. The lack of an expensive branch network allows them to be focused on meaningful improvements in fees, costs, and service.
What documentation do I need to open a second chance bank account?
You’ll typically need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and a valid government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, to open bank accounts with bad credit. Some banks may also require proof of income or residency.
Will my second chance bank account be FDIC insured?
All banks are required to provide their customers with FDIC insurance. Likewise, credit unions offer this kind of insurance through the NCUA.
Best Second Chance Banks by State
To find more information and additional options available in your area, select your state from the list below and explore your options.
Ready for Your Second Chance?
If you’ve experienced issues with bad credit, checking account issues, or bounced checks, CreditInfoCenter can help you get back on track toward a healthy financial future. Our goal is to guide you through the complex financial roadmap to find the banks or credit unions that can best meet your needs.
The vast majority of the time, you can get a bank account with ALL the features and benefits you need with no fees, minimums, or restrictions. We’re glad you found us. Now, let us help you find the right financial partner for you.
1Direct deposit funds may be available for use for up to two days before the scheduled payment date. Early availability is not guaranteed.
2Found’s core features are free. Found also offers optional paid products, Found Plus for $35/month or $315/year or Found Pro for $80/month or $720/year. Discount rates may apply. There are no monthly account maintenance fees, but other fees such as transactional fees for wires, instant transfers, and ATM apply. Read the Found Fee Schedule.
3Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Business banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC. The funds in your account are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor for each account ownership category. FDIC insurance only covers the failure of an FDIC-insured depository institution. The Found Mastercard Business debit card is issued by Lead Bank pursuant to a license from Mastercard Inc. and may be used everywhere Mastercard debit cards are accepted.
1Current is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. FDIC insurance up to $250,000 only covers the failure of an FDIC-insured bank. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through deposit insurance coverage to apply. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC, and Cross River Bank, Member FDIC.
The Current Visa® Debit Card issued by Choice Financial Group, and the Current Visa® secured charge card issued by Cross River Bank, are both pursuant to licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit or credit cards are accepted. Current Individual Account required to apply for the Current Visa® secured charge card. Independent approval required. Additional product disclosures can be found here.
1Eligibility requirements apply. Overdraft only applies to debit card purchases and cash withdrawals. Limits start at $20 and may be increased up to $200 by Chime. See chime.com/spotme.
2Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM. Cash deposit or other third-party fees may apply.
3Customers are limited to three $1,000 cash deposits at Walgreens each day and $10,000 each month.
4Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. We generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date.
5Sometimes instant transfers can be delayed. The recipient must use a valid debit card to claim funds. Once you are approved for a Chime Checking Account, see your issuing bank’s Deposit Account Agreement for full Pay Anyone Transfers details. Please see the back of your Chime debit card for your issuing bank. See Terms and Conditions.
6The Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) for the Chime Savings Account is variable and may change at any time. The disclosed APY is effective as of January 29, 2026. No minimum balance required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest.